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Dec. l0, 1929. E. s. CHAPIN ET Al.

APPARATUS FOR TREATING FABRICS Original Filed Dec. 15, 1927 \O M o O 0 O o /O O G o O 0 G 0 O $2 .wv .l is? Qi E oO o W l 7 I .Vf 5 n mi Wm Y R B THE! Patented Dec. 10, 1929 EDWARD S. CHAPIN, 0F PLAINFIELD, NEW MASSACHUSETTS, ASBIGNORS TO THE MASSACHUSETTS JERSEY, AND ARELI H. JACOBY, OF ASHBY,

DELTEX COMPANY, A CORPORATION OF APPARATUS FOR TREATING FABRICS Original application led December 15, 1927, Serial` No. 240,241.

November 6,1928.

"lhis invention relates generally to the treatment of fabrics composed of various materials, such as cotton, silk, rayon or wool, or mixtures of said materials, and is particularly applicable to the treatment of fabrics where an ageing action is desired and especially to the treatment of vat color prints or dyes or discharge prints or other fabrics where reductions of the printing materials or dyes are necessary.

lleretoforc, the apparatus usually employed in the ageing or treating of vat color prints or dyed fabrics comprised a standard construction which has embodied heating coils or equivalent heating devices and a supply of live steam which is introduced into the bon or ager to displace air which contains free oxygen that is detrimental to the reducing action., ln the usual type of apparatus, it is customary to have blowers outside and above the point at which the goods enter and leave the ager, such blowers being used to carry off the excess steam. which escapes from the ager through openings made necessary by the passage therethrough of the goods being aged or otherwise treated. Also in certain types of agers, blowers or suction devices have been applied directly to the rear end of the ager.. ince the actions and reactions which produce heat taire place most quiclrly at the front or entrance portion. of the ager, such a suction device carries the excess heat developed at that point throughout the length. of the bon, thereby raising the temper-- ature of the entire bon to a point where the color cannot properly develop, owing to a retardation of the reducing action,

@ne of the objects of our invention is, therefore, to produce anapparatus through which the fabrics being aged may be treated during the ageing process without the usual disadvantages Vaccompanying the use of apparatus heretofore used for this purpose, above mentioned, itis essential, in such treatment of printed or dyed goods that free onygen of the atmosphere should be lrept away from the portions of the fabric undergoing chemical or other reactions and for that reason. the goods are treated in an atmosphere Divided and this application filed Serial No. 317,633.

ln the use of previous ageing apparatus, it has been found impossible to maintain the temperature at a suliciently low point to carry outthe ageing process evenly and satisfactorily because the extent of the liberation of heat has not been known and consequently no remedy provided. We have found that after the introduction of the fabric into the ageing device'or apparatus the temperature 1s caused to rise to 230o or even to 240 lf., which is very materially higher than is desirable to carry out the process to produce the best results. .Alfter considerable researcl'i work as to the cause of this rise in tennaerature, We have found that it is mainly diie to various causes resulting from the actions which occur during the ageing process, and these include the giving ed" of the latent heat contained in the water vapors when they are condensed upon the fabric as it passes through the apparatus, chemical reactions resulting from the reduction of the dyes, heating coils intended to maintain the teinperature; steam chests to prevent condensation; and the heat of the rolls and other metallic parts which tend to absorb and then radiate heat., However, the giving olf of latent heat appears to take place whether the fabric has been printed or dyed, or whether it is plain, undyed or imprinted fabric, such as so-called grey goods, and therefore if it is desired to maintain an even temperature at a definite point in the vicinity of or slightly above 212 ld., it has been practically impossible to do so on account of alaclr of accurate control and a sucient dissipation of the heat given off or accumulated as above describe l, rlhe considerable amount of heat produced by the causes above referred to superheats the steam introduced, 'thereby reducing the humidity when the temperature is raised 'to the undesirable degree above mentioned, To

counteract this effect it has been proposed to supply more moisture by the introduction of aprons or blankets between the runs of fabric, and this has been found to produce improved results.

'llhe boi; or casing of the ager being open to the atmosphere a rise in temperature due to the presence of excess heat can produce no Ell as well as an imperfect reduction throughout the entire fabric.

In ageing or fabric treating devices heretofore used, 1t has been customary to cause the fabric to travel in up and down paths over rollers located in the upper and lower portions of the box or casing, these rollers being of such a size and located at such distances apart that the runs of the fabric over the rollers are comparatively close together, that is, the parallel runs have usuall been only two or three inches apart an extend continuously and successively from one end of the box or casing to the other. Owing to the close proximity of the runs of thefabric in such cases the heat iven ofi-when moisture is absorbed by the abric is more or less entrapped between the runs thereof so that the temperature usually rises to points'that are deleterious to the treatment of the fabric being passed through the a ing device, although moisture may be sup- 'ed in sutlicient quantity in certain places by blankets or aprons to absorb some of this heat. The amount of heat generated also varies considerably with `the various kinds and weights of fabrics being treated.

The common way of determining the temperature within an ageing device has been to insert a short stemmed thermometer so as to extend not more than an inch or two inside of the box near the runs of the fabric. In most cases the temperature indicated under usual conditions is 2l2-215 F. or thereabout, but the use of thermometers in this manner has failed to indicate the real temperatures that exist between the central portions of the runs of the fabric at the points where an accurate control of the temperature is more essential. We have found that it is necessary and essential to so locate a thermometer that the temperature between the runs of the fabric at the central portions of the apparatus may be accurately determined. When this is done we have, as above mentioned, found that the temperatures are considerably above those that are indicated when the short stemmed thermometers located at the sides of the apparatu's may have been employed to determine the workingtemperatures within the ager.

The main object, therefore, of the present invention is to produce an ageing or fabric treating apparatus which shall give greater control over the temperatures within the apparatus so that the defects heretofore encountered may be positively and reliably eliminated;

This application is a division of applicavapors, and from other sources, is caused to bel dispersed after being liberated so that the fabric may be kept evenly and uniformly at the desired temperature by causing the heat, which has been given oi including that produced by the condensation of the moisture upon the fabric to be dissipated or conducted away so that the temperature within the apparatus shallnot be raised to a point hi her than that necessary to bring about the desired results.

We have found that if the moisture laden steam vapors or wet steam can be caused to circulate rapidly between the runs of the fabric and their movement controlled so as to have the heat conducted away and absorbed by the casing or by some conductive medium at various points, there will be a continuous removal of the excess heat and a consequent reduction in temperature. This circulation and removal of the excess heat may be accomplished in various ways, an example of which is described in connection with the following drawings in which- Fig. 1 is a vertical longitudinal sectional View of a preferred embodiment of our apparatus.

Fig. 2 is a vertical cross-sectional view showing the arrangement of the parts taken substantially on the line 2-2 of Fig. 1.

Referring to the figures of the drawing, the numeral 1 indicates a casing of sheet metal which is provided with a top 2, the left hand end of the casing being provided with an opening 3 through which the cloth may enter and emerge from the ager. The opening 3 is provided with means to suck away the steam which would tend to be discharged through said opening, said means preferably comprising the fan or suction device 4 having a pipe 5 leading from the opening 3 and the inner end of which connects with a horizontal hood 6, beneath which the fabric passes, as indicated at 7 in Fig. 1. A steam pipe 8 having a controllin valve 8 enters the box or casing at a point a jacent its bottom and is provided with a series of small openings 9 through which the steam is discharged in the form of jets. A pipe 10 forms a drain for the water which is condensed from the steam so that the water which may run to the bottomv of the box is conducted away. The pipe 10 is preferably provided with a tra as indicated, to maintain the water at a einite level. The interior of the box is provided with two series of rolls 11 and 12 over which the cloth being treated p successivel in parallel vertical runs, as indicated in ig. 1. Between the steam pipe 8 and the lowermost rolls ll baies 13,

usually lrnown as shingles, are sometimes used in order to give even distribution of the steam throughout the lower portion of the box and prevent water from spattering on the goods.A

rl`he top or upper side of the box is preferably provided with hollow heating plates 14 which are supplied with steam through the pipe 15 and from which condensed water may be conducted away through the pipe 16. The heating plates 14 form a steam chest at the top of the ager and serve to prevent condensation of moisture on theinnersurfacethereofso thatdropsofwaterwillnotfalluponthe fabric being treated. ln the form of the apparatus described we separate the heating plates from the upper rolls l2 by a considerably greater distance amounting to l5 to 2t.- inches instead of 3 to ti inches as has heretofore been considered desirable and we also preferably use a lower steam pressure in the chest than is common-ly used. 'llhese features of improvement tend to reduce the heat active upon the fabric CII Gil

and the greater height of the chest above the rolls and fabric reduces the effect of radiant heat falling directly upon the fabric. The bon is preferably covered on the sides and top with heat insulating material, such as asbestes, as indicated at ll.

lin the form of the apparatus illustrated in the drawings the rolls are arranged in a somewhat different manner from that usually employed in the agers commonly used heretofore. lly reference to lfig. l. of the drawings it will be seen that the first five parallel runs of the cloth are comparatively close together. rl`he nent run, or sinth run, is separated from the fifth run by a somewhat greater distance, while the seventh and eighth, as well as the ninth and tenth runs are separated a considerably greater distance than the space between the fifth and sixth runs. Thereafter from the tenth run of the fabric, until the end of the ager, the runs are separated a disq tance apart which is closer than the previous runs and substantially similar to the spacing of the `first live runs of the fabric., rllhe distances., however, by which the various runs of the fabric are separated will depend upon the nature of the fabric being treated, the size and proportions of the ager, and other factors which will be apparent to one skilled in the art.

'lhe principal difference in arrangement of the rolls and the runs of the fabric above described over the prior use of such rolls in ageing apparatus is mainly in the variable spacing set forth. rllhis variable spacing is required, as we have found from a large nume lier of commercial tests of ageing apparatus, by reason of the fact that when the rolls are spaced'elose together throughout the length of the ager, the heat evolved during the aetions and reactions which talre place upon the fabric by reason ofthe application of heat and moisture, tended to become trapped, thereby raising the temperature to a point beyond that at which efficient reduction or ageing takes place, as previously referred to. Variable spacing overcomes this difficulty by allowing free circulation of the steam vapors in the immediate vicinity of the surface of the fabric, so that the heat evolved from any cause, such as condensation of the steam or by chemical reactions, is carried away and dissipated without accumulating and raising the temperature within the ager to a detrimental point.

lt will, therefore, be apparent that one of the main features of our invention is a rapid dissipation of the excess heat evolved from any cause and a control of the heat which is active to produce the necessary reactions, so that the temperature may be maintained at the proper point for the most efficient reduction and ageing throughout the apparatus. ldlc have found that the most rapid reducing action takes place soon after the fabric enters the ager and the heat at the beginning of the process may be allowed to accumulate to a certain extent to overcome the cooler condition of the fabric as it enters the ager from the outside atmosphere, but after the chemical reactions and the ageing or reducing process have been initiated, it is desirable that further heat evolved be conducted away or dissipated so that the temperature will not be raised to an undesirable point. 'lhese con siderations explain the closer spacing of the runs of the fabric in the first part of the ageing apparatus and the wider spacing in the portion of the subsequent space within the ager. The latter part of the ager which may consist of practically four-fifths, more or less. of its length, may include closer spacing of the runs of the fabric since the chemi cal reactions take. place in that portion at a considerably lower rate than in the earlier parts of the process. which may include the first one-fifth, more or less, of the length of the apjer.

llt will be apparent to those slrilled in the art that other means for rapidly conducting away the heat may be provided in addition to those represented by the present drawings forming a part of this specification, and the apparatus may be otherwise modified as the occasion mayrequire without departing from the spirit and. scope of our invention.,

lllhat we claim. is:

l. Apparatus for ageing printed or dyed. fabric in an atmosphere of steam vapor, comprising, a casing forming a substantially closed chamber, series of rolls therein over which printed or dyed fabric is passed, means for supplying heat to said. chamber to produce the requisite chemical reactions, means for supplying moisture to said chamber, and means causing a circulation of the moist vapor, said rolls being spaced apart by greater lOtl' lill , distances at the intermediate portion 'of said i chamber than at the rear portion thereof.

2. Apparatus for ageing printed or dyed fabric in an atmosphere of steam vapor, coms prising, al casing forming a substantially closed chamber, series of rolls therein 'over and under which the fabric is passed alternately, means for supplying .heat and mois- -ture to said chamber to produce the requisite chemical reactions, and'l means for causing a more rapid .circulation of the moist vapor between certain of the runs of said fabric than between others, said means. comprising a greater separation of the rolls where' the\\ more rapid circulation of the vapor is produced.

' 3. Apparatus for ageingprinted or dyed fabric in an atmosphere of steam vapor, comprising, a casing forming a. substantially go'closed chamber, series .of rolls therein over -and under which'the fabric is passed alter- -nate1y, means forsupplying heat and moisture to said chamber to produce the requisite chemical reactions, and means for causing a more rapid circulation of the moist vapor between the runs in a forward portion of the chamber'than between the runs in the rear portion thereof, said means comprising. a greater separation of the rolls in a horizontal v direction where` the more rapid circulation is produced.

4. In apparatus for ageing printed or dyed fabric in an atmosphere of steam vapor, c'omprising, a casing forming a substantially closed chamber, series of rolls therein over and under which the fabric lis passed alternately, means for supplying heat and mois-v ture to said chamber to produce the requisite chemical reactions, including the steam chest 40 at the top of the casing which is separated from the upper rolls by a distance amounting to between 15' and 24 inches more or less, and means for causing a more rapid circulation of the moist vapors between the runs of the fabric at one portion of the chamber than at another portion thereof, said means comprising a greater separation lof the rolls in the horizontal direction where the more rapid circulation is produced. Signed this'lst day of October, 1928. EDWARD S. CHAPIN. ARELI H. JACOBY. 

